# Governing law in an airport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296 "2006-05-03T21:08:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/1 "2006-05-03T21:08:46Z")
What law is in effect in the international terminal of an airport? Using Heathrow as an example, does British law apply or is there some kind of Uniform Code of Airport Justice? [Cecil’s column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990820.html) seems to insinuate that the airport has, at least from an immigration standpoint, somewhat different laws than the rest of the country. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/2 "2006-05-03T21:53:24Z")
Heathrow is completely subject to British law, but other countries may extend their own jurisdiction over acts taking place there that touch and concern them, or over the conduct of their own nationals there. For example, if an American citizen blows up part of Heathrow with an explosive device and flees to America, the U.S. can either hand him over to Britain for prosecution or prosecute him under [18 U.S.C. Ch.2 § 37 - Violence at international airports](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000037----000-.html). ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/3 "2006-05-03T22:07:40Z")
The three major New York airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark-Liberty) are under the jusrisdiction of the Port Authority police, who also cover the PA bus terminal on 8 Avenue as well as several bridges and the Lincoln and Holland tunnels. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/4 "2006-05-03T23:13:03Z")
Postcards: That’s the department having ?primary? jurisdiction. Would they not be enforcing the laws of New York State? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/5 "2006-05-03T23:27:16Z")
> [@Mr. Slant](#): > > Postcards: > That’s the department having ?primary? jurisdiction. Would they not be enforcing the laws of New York State? Well, no, at Newark Liberty they enforce the laws of New Jersey. [Port Authority](http://www.panynj.gov/) > [@](#): > > The Port Authority’s three major airports, Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International, and LaGuardia, handle over 80 million air passengers, over 1.1 million aircraft movements, and over 2.5 million tons of air cargo annually. Policing these aviation facilities involves a wide variety of duties. Police personnel cover screening points, respond to all aircraft incidents, and aid travelers from all parts of the world. > (_snip_) > The Criminal Investigations Bureau consists of over 100 Detectives and Supervisors that are specifically trained for crimes occurring at transportation facilities…Additionally, the Criminal Investigations Bureau has worked cooperatively with Local, State, and Federal agencies in the fight against crime. Some of these agencies include the New Jersey State Police, the New York City Police Department, United States Customs and Border Patrol and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. Members of the Criminal Investigations Bureau also work as part of the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force to prevent terrorist activities in the region. I can’t link directly to the page, but click on ‘About the Port Authority’ in the link I provided, and then click ‘Port Authority Police’ ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/6 "2006-05-03T23:38:10Z")
Yes, British law applies throughout Heathrow, and is enforced by the Metropolitan Police. Cecil’s column is talking about immigration, which is separate from crime (it’s possible to commit a crime by not following immigration rules, but they’re still two separate things). IIRC, Nasseri was living airside, and so was outside French immigration, but if he killed someone would still be tried for murder. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/7 "2006-05-04T01:58:30Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Well, no, at Newark Liberty they enforce the laws of New Jersey. > > [Port Authority](http://www.panynj.gov/) > > I can’t link directly to the page, but click on ‘About the Port Authority’ in the link I provided, and then click ‘Port Authority Police’ Not a snipe at you, **Postcards** , but the PA really needs to hire some copy editors. There is no Drug Enforcement Agency. They are the Drug Enforcement **Administration** , with a real **Administrator** and everything. Sorry, just a frequent mistake made in newspapers and other publications that always irks me. Incidentally, I understand that the reason that the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE) was renamed (they dropped the “Bureau” part and became ICE) was because folks were calling them “the Bureau,” which annoyed the folks at the FBI. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/8 "2006-05-04T21:12:12Z")
What about planes in flight internationally? Is it dependent on whose airspace they’re in, where they’re going, does the captain get to decide everything? ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/9 "2006-05-04T21:20:47Z")
> [@Ender\_Will](#): > > What about planes in flight internationally? Is it dependent on whose airspace they’re in, where they’re going, does the captain get to decide everything? Mostly it’s the flag of the craft that determines the rules, although there are also international treaties and laws that are applicable. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/governing-law-in-an-airport/355296/10 "2006-05-04T21:39:07Z")
In Canada, airports are specifically under federal law, rather than the surrounding province. Specific security authority is held by the recently-formed [Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)](http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/index.htm). I tried looking through a pile of stuff from the websites of CATSA, the Department of Justice, Immigration Canada and even the RCMP and my eyes started to glaze over. I take it that _someone’s_ in charge, and biggest problem for a given incident is figuring out exactly who.